Category Archives: My recipes

recipes I’ve made up, drawing from experience + recipes I’ve seen

Basil and tomato scramble

Some herbs are really yummy in eggs, like basil for example…

Steamed tilapia, sweet peas and sweetcorn on white rice, topped with star anise white sauce

It’s a funny looking experiment but I assure you it’s worth the trouble. Ignore what it looks like, think about the mix of flavours (^_^)

Raisin scones

Of course it had to happen! There was no way I was going to get away with making scones without raisins again (^_^)

Fried liver with baked sweet potatoes and pumpkin leaves

It sounds like an odd combination but it is pleasantly quite the happy burst of flavour. You absolutely should try it.

Rice+peas, tilapia, caramelised onions, pumpkin leaves+comfrey

I couldn’t come up with what to call this so I just listed everything in the heading (^_^)

Easy scones

I’ve been wanting to make scones for while now so I’ve looked at many recipes online. I wanted them for breakfast so the preparation and cooking time had to be supper short. I finally found one on the Once Upon A Chef website. I didn’t have some of her ingredients but I liked how quick and simple it was.… Read More

Chapos with ndengu and matumbo

So, I made way too much ndengu the other day (^_^) The good news is half of this meal is ready!

Rice and ndengu

I didn’t grow up eating ndengu (green grams), at least not that I remember. My mother didn’t cook them. I think mostly because she didn’t grow up eating them herself.

I also like to cook the things I remember eating in my mother’s house. Potatoes, nduma, sweet potatoes, matoke, rice, beans, plantain, chicken, beef, goat and the usual vegetables like spinach, mchicha, pumpkin leaves, green-beans, cabbage, etc. Oh! and ugali, how could I forget ugali! The list goes on and on!

Honey roasted lamb with cassava

I’ve tried adding honey several times but this is the first time it come out right. The sweet notes were just right. Try it out…

Spicy rice with raisins

All it takes is a little imagination and your plain old rice can be something special! Try this out…

Pasta and meat sauce

This is a deliciously flavourful meat sauce, just the right balance of herbs and spices \(^_^)/ It is a must try. Give your family a treat this week. And make plenty, it’s guaranteed to inspire second helpings.

Ugali and vegetable curry

Curry in your veggies! And why not? Try this out to spice up your vegetarian night this week!

Pasta, potatoes and pesto!

I know, I know! In that photo it look like a hodgepodge of so many things, but I assure you it’s very tasty.

Matoke with peanut sauce

This is a Ugandan dish. I learned about it recently from Lydia. She studied at Makerere University so she lived there for several years. Traditionally, the matokes are cooked with banana leaf stalks until they’re very soft. Once ready the matoke is wrapped in banana leaves and often served on them. I don’t have any… Read More

Lamb curry and rice

I pulled out what I thought was a meaty thigh piece to defrost but it turned out to be a back bone piece. Not a lot of meat. It was quite a task to get it off the bones!

Sweet potato soup

I wanted something light, he was not very hungry because he stuffed himself with tea and cake when he got home — can’t complain though, it was my cake (^_^)

Chapos round 2!

I am getting wiser on this. Thank God for friends who cook! (^_^) After my chapo post, several friends shared their knowledge on how to get them done right. 1. Get the layes right. Chapos are supposed to have nice layers. This is how you get the best layers: roll out enough dough for one… Read More

Almost Jamie Oliver’s “Purple Potato Salad”

When you find a recipe that looks good but not all the ingredients are available in your market there’s no need to write it off, look for creative ways to make it with what you can find…

My bachelorette pesto!

I used to make this when I was a bachelorette, living alone and no one to cook for but me. It’s super easy to prepare and the best part is the pesto stores well in the fridge. So I could make a batch and pull it out a couple of times a week when I… Read More

Lamb strips with fried plantain and kachumbari

It’s always nice to have a dinner that comes together quickly. It will be even faster if you marinate the lamb in the morning and leave it in the fridge for the evening

Chunky omelet V3.0 — Sausages +

If you’re having a few people over for brunch this is sure to fill and satisfy. It has everything everyone loves to have for breakfast, sausages, bacon, eggs,… it’s a crowed pleaser!

Chapos for breakfast!

Appreciating the little things. When he says he’s making breakfast just say thank you! Enjoy the break (^_^)

Chapos for dinner! Part 2

Wow! was totally out of my element with this one. I really enjoy Ethiopian food but I never thought I’d be making it till I was given the shiro flour. Lesson learned though, one new thing per meal. Doing two new things is hectic!

Banana-raisin cake

Adding raisins is an easy way to freshen up an old cake recipe. If you have a recipe that you make often and you just want to change things up a bit, throw in a handful of raisins. I do reccomend soaking them in something ahead of time, even if it’s not alcohol, I might even steam them a little, just so they’re not so dry.

Sausage stir-fry

Sausages have been a breakfast favourite ever since I was a child. I don’t remember them being served any other way other than plain pan/deep fried. But it doesn’t have to always be that way, after all it’s meat (yes, with lots of other stuff in it but…) and that makes it good for cooking many other ways.

Try this version next time you have them for breakfast.

Ugali and chicken stew

It doesn’t really matter how you cook it, you can never go wrong with chicken. I think everyone should have a couple of chicken recipes down. My favourite way to have it is stewed, so nicely that even the marrow is tasty. When I make my favourite chicken stew not even the bones are left intact. But that’s story for another day,…

Tilapia with celery sauce

I was feeling a little creative, I have no idea where I pulled this from but it has to be made again. Very tasty!

Chunky omelet V2.0 — Bacon!

Now this is more like it! Starting to look like the chunky I had in mind.

Linguini with yellow and red peppers.

Nice and easy flavourful vegetarian dinner. Also very quick to prepare, just because you don’t have time doesn’t mean you have to give up flavour. Definitely one to keep and do again.